The Briny Ingredient That Will Add A Serious Pop To Your Pasta

Oh pasta, how we love your many shapes, your ability to fill us up on the quick, and your versatility (you can eat it hot as spaghetti, or cold like pasta salad). There are so many pasta recipes that never get old, like rich fettuccine alfredo, creamy mac n' cheese, and decadent lasagna, but have you considered a brine-forward take?

Skip the pre-made tomato-based sauce and instead, reach into your pantry for that jar of pepperoncini (that you had to have for your breakfast salads — which ended up not happening). Now, you should certainly chop up those briny little peppers and cook them up in olive oil with your other aromatics, but you must also save the liquid that they come packed in to use as a bright finish for your dish, in lieu of lemon juice. It'll perk up the pasta, adding a beautifully briny acidic bite. And the heat from the juices will also lend a delicious warmth to your entire plate.

Just add a dash or two when everything is almost done cooking — a nice, easy weekday dish could include garlic sautéed until just golden and chopped pepperoncini in extra virgin olive oil, a few knobs of butter, your pasta of choice, some freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and then the pepperoncini juice to finish it. Continue to toss for about 30 seconds or so to make sure the juice is evenly distributed and serve it up hot (we don't blame you for stealing a few bites out of the pan, though). 

If you've got your mind on brine, there are plenty of other options for incorporating it into your pasta (especially if you find pepperoncini to be a bit too tart or spicy). Artichoke hearts are a velvety choice that happen to have zero spice to them, and the brine typically contains oil, which works perfectly with any pasta dish. Give the artichoke hearts a rough chop, and be sure to use some of the liquids they're packed in for an extra hit of flavor.

Capers are another great brine-forward alternative (though they are packed with salt in Italy, they come in a juice here in the States). They are so savory despite their tiny size, packed with flavor, and their liquids can be used to form a salty, vinegary sauce for your pasta to soak up. If you're filling extra adventurous and want to go for a boozy take on brine, you can even use olives and their juices to create a savory and dirty martini pasta, with gin (or vodka) and all, if you like.